History
Salmon candy traces its roots to Indigenous Alaska preservation methods, scaled up commercially after statehood. Alaska Sausage and Seafood Co supplies most of the city's bars and gift shops, and 49th State Brewing carries it as an Alaska bar bite. The Tlingit and Haida peoples of Southeast Alaska have smoked sweet-salt salmon for centuries, the modern brown-sugar-and-maple glaze a 20th-century commercial adaptation.
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Common allergens: Fish, Soy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 900g sockeye salmon fillet, skin on, cut into 2cm strips
- 150g brown sugar
- 60ml soy sauce
- 60ml maple syrup
- 30g sea salt
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
Method
- Combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, maple syrup, salt and pepper into a brine in a glass bowl, then add the salmon strips and turn to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate the brine for 12 hours, turning once midway.
- Remove the strips, pat dry and lay on a wire rack set in a sheet pan. Air-dry uncovered in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours until a tacky pellicle forms.
- Set a smoker to 80C using alder or cherry wood chips.
- Smoke the salmon strips for 6-8 hours, brushing every 90 minutes with a 50:50 mix of brown sugar and warm water.
- The salmon candy is done when it is firm, mahogany-coloured and sweet-savoury. Cool fully before storing in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Tip from the editors. Alder is the canonical Alaska smoke wood for salmon candy. Cherry or apple work; avoid mesquite or hickory which overpower the fish.
Where to eat smoked salmon candy
Smoked salmon candy in Anchorage
49th State Brewing ★ 4.3
49th State Brewing took over the old Snow Goose brewery space on 3rd Avenue in 2016, running a downtown brewpub with sustainable Alaska foods, smoked salmon.
F Street Station ★ 4.8
F Street Station's downtown long bar stays open to 02:30 most nights since 1944, serving Alaska seafood chowder and burgers until last call.
TryAlaska seafood chowder and burger
Pioneer Bar ★ 4.2
Pioneer Bar is one of Anchorage's lower-profile picks. Historic 4th Avenue dive that dates to the early 1900s, with The Hooligan food truck on the back patio.
Why locals goHistoric 4th Avenue dive that dates to the early 1900s, with The Hooligan food truck on the back patio and a deep jukebox.
TipTake a beer to the back patio and order The Hooligan's beef tenderloin katsu. Shuffleboard inside, mountain air outside.
Anchorage Market Food Vendors ★ 4.3
The Anchorage Market on 3rd and E Street hosts 200+ vendors on summer weekends, with the food row running halibut tacos, reindeer chili and Alaska berry.
TryHalibut tacos and reindeer chili
More cities are in research. Want smoked salmon candy covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.